This is an excerpt from this week's Claret and Amber Alert, a free Motherwell newsletter written by Graeme McGarry that goes out every Thursday at 6pm. To sign up, click here.

I’ve got to be honest, until a couple of weeks ago I didn’t think I’d be rooting for teams below Motherwell in the league against those vying for a top six spot, but here we are.

The midweek fixtures saw struggling Aberdeen travelling to Dundee, where a draw would have probably been the best result for those of a Motherwell bent, keeping the Dons at arm’s length below but keeping the Dee within striking distance above.

It was a similar story with the game in Dingwall, where the late equaliser for Ross County against Hibernian was welcome.

A few weeks back, the prospect of County gaining any sort of ground would have provoked squeaky bums from the tap of the toon to the cross and further doon, as they say, but it kept the Hibees close enough to allow the top half dream to live on for at least another week.

The fact that it is even a live issue is testament to the work of Stuart Kettlewell and his players in recent weeks, and largely since the return after the winter break.

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No one should be getting too carried away given the long periods of gloom fans had to suffer prior to that this season, but credit where it is due, and it looks like the Steelmen are at least in the fight with Dundee and Hibs for that last spot.

It helps to retain a measure of optimism as a Motherwell supporter, based in realism or not, so I’ve gone looking for reasons to maintain such a demeanour in the fixture list. And I think I may have found it.

This weekend, Motherwell host Aberdeen, and given the flux at Pittodrie and their dire display at Dens Park on Wednesday night, three points has to be the aim. Their defence looks weak, and Theo Bair and Jack Vale should get plenty of joy against them.

Hibs having a home tie against Livi doesn’t help, but Dundee welcome a Rangers side in Sunday’s early kick-off that tore them apart the last time they went there. So, all going well, Motherwell will be within a point of Dundee come the end of the weekend, and likely still three behind Hibs.

The following week though, Hibs travel to Ibrox, and while some teams can go there and get a result, you’d have to fancy that Nick Montgomery’s men won’t be one of them.

Dundee travel to face a St Johnstone team on the McDiarmid Park mudheap who will be fighting for their lives, and while it isn’t outwith the realms of possibility that they get a result, I’m backing Craig Levein to bore the life out of the Dee and squeeze out a mind-numbing 0-0 draw.

The ‘Well have another home fixture, albeit up against a very decent side in Stephen Robinson’s St Mirren.

However, they are capable of chucking in the odd shocker on the road, as their recent defeat to Livingston showed, so this could be another home win, putting Motherwell into sixth spot by dint of their marginally better goal difference to Hibs with two games to go until the split.

And who are those two games against? You guessed it, Dundee and Hibs, with a visit to Dens Park followed by yet another home match against the Hibees. So, if it all goes to my plan – and how could it not? – remarkably, Motherwell’s top six fate could be firmly in their own hands with two games to go.

In this scenario, avoiding defeat at Dens and beating Hibs at home would have Motherwell in the top half. I don’t know about you, but I’m sold.

What Motherwell – a team that this season have gone on a run of 15 games without victory and have just four wins from their last 24, albeit with two of those in the last two games – getting into the top half would say about the rest of the league is open to debate.

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What it absolutely shows though is that there isn’t a great deal between the majority of the teams in the league despite the obvious financial advantages that some enjoy. The deficiencies of the ‘bigger’ clubs though play right into Motherwell’s hands, and that is what makes the top six dream not all that outlandish when it is laid out as above.

By next week, I might be back to laying out how Motherwell can avoid slipping into the relegation playoff spot, but for now, the top six is there to play for.

AND ANOTHER THING…

It was good to see Liam Kelly called up to the Scotland squad for the forthcoming friendlies, albeit, likely as fourth in the pecking order of the four goalies who Steve Clarke unusually drafted in.

Kelly has had his critics this season and I’ve been among them, but his form has picked up of late, and he was hugely impressive in the win at Ibrox.

Unfortunately for Kelly, I fear that the experience of Craig Gordon will be favoured when it comes to the crunch, and he will likely be the one who drops out when it comes to the final cut for the European Championships.

But the carrot is still there, and hopefully that will give him an added incentive to maintain his recent standard for Motherwell in the closing weeks of the season.